The US Army is now bribing kids to risk death

[detlef]

It shouldn't be particularly surprising to anyone with an attention span any longer than a gnat's that the military is having some trouble finding recruits these days. Volunteers/recruits were plentiful back in the early days, post-9/11. Now that the War on Terror has been mismanaged into oblivion, those recruits aren't so plentiful anymore

Comments

[ludickid]

I read a fascinating article recently about how the cash incentives and the lowered enlistment standards are leading to massive influxes of gangbangers in the military. The Gangster Disciples, my own hometown innovators, encourage their "soldiers" to take the plunge, funnel the recruitment cash straight into the drug trade, and use their growing numbers in the services to expand their business overseas -- they're apparently selling piles of coke in Germany now, and the article featured photos of (American) gang graffiti on the walls of Iraqi buildings.

[detlef]

I can't say I'm surprised. The quality of FNGs was noticeably dropping when I left service almost a year ago, so I can't imagine it's gone up since then. I can't speak to any organized drug/gang activity in my unit (though that had been a problem about a decade ago according to old timers) or the Marines in general, but the mentality of some of these new kids is certainly questionable

[detlef]

Also, if you happen to remember where you read that article, I'd be very interested to read it.

[ludickid]

It was in Radar.

[detlef]

It's more proof that the Bush Administration is doing a better job of destroying the American military than the USSR and Al-Qaeda combined.

[cbackson]

My late uncle was a recruiter for the Marine Corps for years--from the late sixties through the seventies. I remember listening to him talk about traveling around to little rural towns in south Georgia and lower Alabama and feeling like he was really doing something good because he was helping kids whose parents hadn't even graduated high school get access to the GI Bill and a way out of their dead-end hometowns.

It depresses me to think about how he'd feel about the state of recruitment now--not to mention the war in general. I'm sad to have lost him, but I'm glad he missed some of this.

[detlef]

Recruiting is a demanding job, a job that a lot of guys will do just about anything to avoid. The way the Marines are set up now, after a certain period in your career you have to do what is called a "B-billet." There are a choice of options, but restrictions apply to all of them and you could get stuck doing something you just don't have a heart in

[anonymous]

Wow. I can't say this surprises me, but it does thoroughly piss me off. I actively try to discourage my students from joining the military. I'm sure the school hates that, but, hey, I gotta do what I gotta do.
(Kootch)

[detlef]

I've already talked one Duellman family member out of joining up (at least temporarily). His parents were pretty worried about what would happen to him, particularly his mom. His dad was proud of him for wanting to serve his country, but he wanted his son to make a decision with all the information available, not just the stuff you see in commercials and ads that paint it a certain way.

I told him not to go in until he'd been in college for a couple years, and if he decided he wanted to go, to get a college degree and go in as an officer. At least then his options will be better than mine were. I saw him up in Maplewood this summer, and he's in college and working a job on the side. His folks are pretty happy with that, and so am I.

If you've got some kids who are hell-bent on joining up, I'd be willing to talk to them and give them the other side of the story.

[anonymous]

Thanks, Wyl. I may take you up on that.